Avalon (Shadowguard)

The Escape

Into Doom...

22

FEB/14

A meeting to discuss how to remove the tattoos on Jericho’s and Tarja’s arms, as well as to help repair the newly found war machine “Talon Lens,” was broken up by a knock on the door by the Imperial Guard. Apparently they had come to discuss the attack upon an Elven ambassadorial caravan. All dignitaries had been murdered. The priests of Oavatos had apparently tracked the death essence to our home, specifically to Ryn’s room. I can only assume it was her doing, the weapon was under her own floor boards. Nevertheless, it is my responsibility. Their deaths weigh heavily upon my conscience. Fearing capture, Ryn leapt out of the window. The guard’s were about to arrest me and my new found compatriots until Byron, Kalem’s new servant, warned them of overstepping their legal jurisdiction. Departing hastily, the guards warned they would be back in 24 hours with an arrest warrant.

Wasting no time, I left immediately to track down Ryn. Luckily I had Tarja and Talon’s help or all might’ve been lost. I’m not sure what happened to Jericho. He mysteriously disappeared in the commotion. We tracked Ryn to Bleakwood Forest, where we had an unfortunate encounter with three witches and their bugbear slave. After attempts to talk our way out of conflict failed, we ended up attacking and killing two of the witches and the bugbear. One got away and I do worry about the consequences.

After saving Ryn and patching up her injuries we were chased through the forest by some large unseen terror. We came to a sheer cliff face, completely unclimbable except, perhaps, by the incredible mountaineering skill of Talon Lens. In any event, it was an insurmountable obstacle to the rest of us. Luckily we happened across a long abandoned underground temple. Making our way inside, we sealed the doors against the threat chasing us. He seemed unable to breach the doors. Tarja was able to sense the threat was a great evil, I can only deduce that the temple itself was designed to repel such a presence.

Tarja proved invaluable in the temple, her knowledge of religion allowed us great insight to this place’s original purpose. Apparently it was temple to both the Goddess of Secrets and the God of Death. Quite incredible. We made our way through the temple, stumbling over a few potentially deadly obstacles before coming the second last room. It contained an unknown horror in the guise of a statue engraved with ancient glowing runes of unknown origin. Talon and Ryn were overcome by the statue’s power and were driven mad temporarily. I was forced to loose an arrow into Talon’s shoulder. Tarja managed to free them both from its grasp. A dark, frightening entity, in the corner of the room split open to reveal a swarm of thousands of spiders. In my desire to escape battle with another deadly foe, I threw one of my bombs. Unfortunately it destabilised the cavern, smashing the statue and breaking its seal.

I have no idea what it was, but its dark tentacles left me with a feeling of dread and unease. We escaped that room and headed into the last cavern. In the centre is a glowing crystal with a cloth wrapped around it and two smaller ones floating next to it. It reminds me of The Calling, that Brenn, Kalem, and I found a year ago. A book of dark ritual described an evil sacrifice meant to “bring about the Calling,” whatever that means. The shaking in the temple grows louder, the thing I unleashed is coming. I don’t know what to do. Perhaps removing this crystal would be the solution. It’s my only choice. I’ll have to touch it like Kalem did.